chinese

Traditional Sweet Zongzi (Glutinous Rice Dumplings)

Name: Traditional Sweet Zongzi (Glutinous Rice Dumplings)
Total time: 17 h
Yield: 25 servings
Cuisine: chinese
Ingredients: 2 kg Glutinous Rice; 250 g Jujubes (Red Dates); 250 g Red Bean Paste; 80 pieces Bamboo Leaves (Zongzi Leaves); 1 roll Twine/String; 5 liters Water

This recipe guides you through making traditional Chinese Zongzi, featuring sweet fillings like red dates and red bean paste. The process involves preparing the glutinous rice and bamboo leaves, carefully wrapping the ingredients into a pyramid or elongated shape, and then slow-cooking them to achieve a perfectly sticky and flavorful dumpling. Patience is key for soaking and steeping to ensure the best texture.

17h 25 servings老饭骨 Source

Extracted by chinwei271Extracted 30 Jun 2026

Nutrition· per serving · estimated

250

Calories

Protein

55g

Carbs

Fat

Scale recipe

25 servings

Original recipe

Ingredients6 items

Produce

🍒Jujubes (Red Dates)250 g

🌿Bamboo Leaves (Zongzi Leaves)80 pieces

Pantry

🍚Glutinous Rice2 kg

🫘Red Bean Paste250 g

💧Water5 liters

Other

🧵Twine/String1 roll

Instructions

1
Soak the glutinous rice in water for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to soften it.
4:00 timer
2
Soak the bamboo leaves in water for about 1 hour to soften them and remove any dirt.
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3
After soaking, boil the bamboo leaves for 1 hour. This makes them more pliable and removes any remaining impurities.
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4
Drain the hot water from the boiled leaves and immediately transfer them to a bowl of warm water. This keeps them soft and easy to handle.
5
Select two bamboo leaves. Place the narrower, rougher end of one leaf over the wider, smoother end of the other, ensuring the smooth, shiny side of the leaves faces inwards (where the rice will go).
6
Form a cone shape with the overlapping leaves by folding one side over. Ensure the tip of the cone is well-formed.
7
Fill the bottom of the cone with a small amount of soaked glutinous rice. Gently tap the cone to settle the rice into the tip.
8
Place one jujube or a spoonful of red bean paste into the center of the rice.
9
Cover the filling with more glutinous rice, ensuring it's not overfilled. Remember that the rice will expand during cooking.
10
Fold the remaining parts of the bamboo leaves over the rice to completely enclose it, forming a pyramid or elongated shape. Pinch the sides to secure.
11
Wrap twine or string tightly around the zongzi to hold its shape. Ensure it's secure but not overly tight to allow for rice expansion.
12
Trim any excess bamboo leaf ends with scissors for a neat appearance.
13
Repeat the wrapping process for all remaining ingredients.
14
Place a steamer rack or bamboo mat at the bottom of a large pot to prevent the zongzi from directly touching the pot's base.
15
Carefully arrange the wrapped zongzi in the pot. Place a heavy plate or another steamer rack on top of the zongzi to keep them submerged during cooking.
16
Add enough water to completely cover the zongzi.
17
Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat.
18
Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer the zongzi for at least 2 hours. For larger batches or denser zongzi, cooking time may be longer.
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19
After simmering, turn off the heat and let the zongzi steep in the hot water overnight (about 8 hours). This ensures they become perfectly sticky and prevents them from hardening.
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20
Serve the zongzi warm. Unwrap and enjoy the sweet, sticky treat!

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